Blackett commits his future to the Titans

Posted on Jan 18, 2013 in Rotherham Titans

Rotherham Titans have announced that player coach Lee Blackett has extended his contract with the club, which will see him remain at Clifton Lane until the summer of 2014.

Lee made his debut for Rotherham in January 2004 against Bath in the Zurich Premiership; a match that was played at the Millmoor football ground. The 30 year-old has since made 66 appearances for the club, scoring 13 tries along the way.

Alex Codling, Titans Head Coach, commenting on Blackett’s contract extension said, “I’m thrilled that Lee has committed his future to the Titans. He makes a significant contribution as both a player and a coach and I think it’s very rare that you find somebody who can do both, because they are very different roles. We’ve seem to hit it off working together and I’m looking forward to working with him further as we move forward.

“Lee is very knowledgeable and with me coming on board it has taken a certain amount of pressure off him and that’s allowed him to focus on specific aspects of coaching and on the playing side. He’s Rotherham through and through and he sees this club as his own and that’s a benefit to have people like that around the place.”

Equally delighted at extending his stay with the South Yorkshire club, Blackett explained, “As everyone knows I’ve got a lot of history with the club and at this point in time I have no aspirations to be anywhere other than Clifton Lane. I don’t want to leave Rotherham, it feels like I’ve come back home and also it’s a terrific opportunity to start my coaching career.

“I’ve really enjoyed the experience of working with Alex and I believe we make a real good partnership together. I like his ambitions for the club and the way he’s trying to change certain things and that makes me want to stay even more.

“I love the club; I love everything about the club starting with the VP’s that work here every week showing a real team effort and our supporters at the weekend. They are really loyal and very passionate about the club and I think that’s why everyone that comes here loves it here.”

Lee Blackett appointed Titan’s defence coach

Posted on Jul 23, 2012 in Championship, English Rugby, Rotherham Titans

Titans Rugby have announced the appointment of Lee Blackett as their new Defence Coach.

Blackett returned to the Titans this summer following his 6-year stint with local rivals Leeds Carnegie and he returns to Clifton Lane with a wealth of experience having worked with some of the top coaches in England.

During Blackett’s time in the Premiership with Leeds he worked with Stuart Lancaster, Mike Ford and Neil Back and Lee believes what he learnt under those quality coaches he can pass on to the current Titans squad.

Lee who was delighted to be given the defensive role explained, “I am aiming to help bring leadership to the group, both on and off the pitch. Also, as part of my role, I want to try and bring a focus to the defensive side of things as that aspect of the game is every bit as important as our attacking play.

“In addition to working with the group and I am also doing a lot of one to one sessions, focusing on position and technique.

“My ambition is to become a coach when I finish playing and hopefully that will be at a high level within the game. I am and have been head coach at Sheffield Hallam University for the last three years and I enjoy that role immensely.

“Previously when I was at Leeds, I was the defensive leader in the final two years in the Premiership. I have worked under Mike Ford who was England’s defensive coach, I have worked with Neil Back who was the defensive leader on the pitch when England won the World Cup in 2003 and I have worked with current England head coach Stuart Lancaster during my time at Leeds.

“I feel I have learnt a lot from those guys and I’m looking forward to passing on some of my experience and defensive knowledge to the squad.”

Titans head coach Andre Bester believe Blackett has all the right qualities to succeed in his coaching aspirations, he said, “Lee is a player with extensive Premiership experience and is also an exceptional competitor and like most players I teach them to think like a coach. There’s no reason why Lee, with the experience that he has, having worked with some of the top international defence coaches, can’t add substantial value to our defensive efforts this year.

“There is no doubt; I want him to be the best defensive coach in the division and to go on to be one of the best in the industry. If Lee himself did not have that ambition, then I wouldn’t have appointed him as the defensive coach.”